News Built-in Vista probing tools exposed

[Tim S]

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/07...ools_exposed/1

If you thought Windows Genuine Advantage was your biggest concern after installing Windows Vista, you might want to think again after reading this.

[yakyb]

thats not good i would like a further insight into exactly what is recorded if its just browsing habits im not that bothered (still not exactly happy) but if its more detailed stuff like whether i use DVDdecrypter or clonecd or BitTorrent(which i dont BTW) i would be vry pissed

[bilbothebaggins]

Originally Posted by Article

(...) Our best advice is that if you don't want your data sent to Microsoft, don't install Windows Vista.

Which is exactly what I will do. (Or don't do - i.e. don't do the installing ... whatever ...)

First game I want to play that only runs on Vista - remains to be seen if the game will be worth the 300€ I'll have to pay to get Vista.

-btb-

[E-Jungle]

I'm using Vista Ultimate atm, and it works ok for me, but i was already thinking of reverting back to good old linux. This just helped me make up my mind

I think it's kinda rude from M$ to collect the data and not tell the users about it... if i paid for my copy of vista i would have tried to get my money back (i'm using a legit copy through work).

[Buzzons]

What is wrong with MS getting the data? it is all your fault for not reading the EULA anyhoo But really, what do you think they willl do with all this data, other than patch/release Service packs based on all this data.. so in the long run it helps your experience.

[jezmck]

based on two excepts from the

excerpt

----

I don't think they're doing anything unreasonable here (tbh imho rofl).
They say that they can, but that they won't unless required by law.

People seem to forget that they as individuals are not interesting to the authorities unless they do something they shouldn't.

[Tim S]

Originally Posted by jazzle

excerpt

slip of the fingers, thanks

[Phil Rhodes]

We need a "sigh of grim inevitability" smiley.

[ComputerKing]

Microsoft start to be idiot and rude... I really Don't know why they do that... I will back to my XP SP2 and sell my Vista... Idiot company

[[USRF]Obiwan]

Woooohhh scary.... and now?

Will vista stop working? nope.
Will you get more spammail then you allready getting? Probably, but you will never know if it was vista's datacolllecting that causes it.
Will you get a letter from microsoft with the stats they collected from you? nope
Does it do anything at all to make your usage of vista uncomfortable? Nope


And i can say that vista collects and send 2000 different items to microsoft. But i dont know what it is and when its done.


Come on! this is useless information.

[DXR_13KE]

Microsoft says that it will not use the information it gathers to identify Windows Vista users

so MS does not know who i am and has no way to find me but:

the company reveals that it can use the data it collects against you if it wanted to, or was forced to.

making the above null and void, how the hell can they use data against you if they do not know who you are?

[steveo_mcg]

Any one know what ports it connects on?

[Nix]

Originally Posted by [USRF]Obiwan

Come on! this is useless information.

And how would youl know what information thats being collected is useless. Remember that about a year before Vista was released, when it was unvieled, Microsoft announced that they have been working closely with security services to make the Operating System a lot "Safer". Chances are there are parts of malware that collect information on everything that you do, view and create that could be for the Security Services.

I hated when Microsoft announced this as they know their product is used worldwide, and having security services from 1 Country (USA) is possibly the worst idea theyve had... and we all know theyve had a few. Anyway, we all know what the American Government thinks about net neutrality.

Also the bit about the EULA statement, could that cause a legal quagmire.... seeing as they say one thing in it, and then later contradict themselves?

[eldiablo]

I also wonder what this would do on the performance if you could switch all these collectors of. Becuase more then 60 collectors, that doesnt sound like they wont use any resources to me. *naughty naughty microsoft*

[Amon]

Even though we're living in a world wherein digital autonomy is so passé, monitoring your customers is really unnecessary. It would be nice to simply check a box to disable all of it. This is also an even bigger reason for Vista to continue to be ignored in the enterprise environment (*big* money in licensing there) for fear of security. If users are so compelled to contribute to Megasoft's user activity feedback database, then they will do so at will, and just check the "yes" box if it will be made an option--so much for choice in an opinion-driven digital society, eh?

I hope Vista grasps my vista of it crashing and burning.

[flabber]

It doesn't matter what Microsoft is doing with that data... the fact is that they don't tell the buyer that they are using 67 programs in total to get that information from you.

Which, in my book, is a direct "attack" on your privacy.

[f00dl3]

I don't see what the big deal is, software companies havebeen doing this for years. This is nothing new to IT.

[Nexxo]

Originally Posted by jazzle

People seem to forget that they as individuals are not interesting to the authorities unless they do something they shouldn't.

Correction: they are not interesting until the authorities think they might be doing something the authorities think they shouldn't. There's the rub.

Originally Posted by Hugo.B

Your first statement attempts to ridicule those that care about their privacy...

...It's intrusive, and people have become desensitized to invasions of their privacy.

[USRF]Obiwan has a point, though. Vista has about 67 features collecting information. There are going to be literally hundreds of millions of people using Vista over the next decade. How much information does Microsoft have to wade through? Chances are, your precious private data is never even going to be seen by human eyes, but just automatically amalgamated with millions of other bits of data into some anonymous statistics by computer software.

And then, why would authorities care about whether you use DVDdecrypter or that slightly dodgy Student Edition of MSOffice past its Terms of Use? What interesting data could Vista actually collect that the government could not, by the usual means? The really interesting information about you is already out there: what searches you do on Google, your political opinions as expressed in which forums you visit, your internet-associated Credit Card activity, your blogs, your chat room activities and associates... And that is not even considering the usual channels: your bank account activities, credit rating, census data, car registration (and associated CCTV records), CRB checks, employment records, mobile and landline phone tapping, e-mail snooping... Trust me, the authorities don't need Vista. They can already find out all they want about you.

[devdevil85]

Originally Posted by f00dl3

I don't see what the big deal is, software companies havebeen doing this for years. This is nothing new to IT.

[sarcasm]Well who gives a s**t then.....I mean c'mon they've been doing this for years now anyways.....[/sarcasm] All I can say is that all of this hidden spyware better not be eating resources that should otherwise be used for their original purpose (like running the OS! maybe?) M$ better come out of the closet here and explain why they didn't insert the other 47 methods of data farming in the EULA.

[Amon]

Originally Posted by devdevil85

[sarcasm]Well who gives a s**t then.....I mean c'mon they've been doing this for years now anyways.....[/sarcasm] All I can say is that all of this hidden spyware better not be eating resources that should otherwise be used for their original purpose (like running the OS! maybe?) M$ better come out of the closet here and explain why they didn't insert the other 47 methods of data farming in the EULA.

I don't think freeing system resources is the real concern here as much as the user's digital anonymity. This is one great reason why Vista isn't taking off in the corporate environment where security and privacy are the highest of priorities. I work in the same department as a bank's entire corporate security system experts and I understand quite vividly the importance of an operating system's 'cleanliness' before being implemented into the enterprise. If Vista is this 'dirty', then it'll just remain stuck to casual users and OEM outfitters at best.